The UN Chief has called on the Algeria-backed separatist group of Polisario to cease and avoid blocking traffic flow at the southern Moroccan Guerguerat crossing point on the borders with Mauritania.
The United Nations is “aware of the appeals” launched by the Polisario and its thugs for staging “new demonstrations” in Guerguerat buffer zone to obstruct civil and commercial traffic, said on Saturday Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General.
“Regular civil and commercial traffic must not be obstructed and no measures must be taken which could constitute an alteration of the status quo of the buffer zone” of Guerguerat, stressed the UN official.
He also urged all parties to the Sahara conflict to show “the utmost restraint and to de-escalate any tension” in Guerguerat, noting that MINURSO “is monitoring the situation” in the region.
In January, UN Secretary-General António Guterres had stressed the importance to allow regular civilian and commercial traffic to proceed unhindered and to refrain from any action that may constitute a change to the status quo of the Buffer Strip.
He also reaffirmed the UN commitment to support the parties to the Sahara conflict to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to this issue in accordance with Security Council resolutions.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had also demanded, on January 11, in a statement made public by his spokesperson, the maintenance of regular civil and commercial traffic in Guergarat and called for refraining from any action likely to alter the status quo in this buffer zone, when the Polisario threatened to obstruct the passage of the “Africa Eco Race” rally between Morocco and Mauritania.
